Training your dog is an important part of dog ownership. Unless you get a mature dog, you will need to potty train your puppy if you don’t want accidents in the house. Probably even more important is to teach your dog that you are his master, and he must obey you.
When feeding your dog, always expect the dog to be in a calm state and ready to eat. Hyper activity at feeding time will not allow the pet to properly address feeding rituals. Establish a ritual of a calm animal who sits and waits patiently for you to give food. After this behavior is taught, your dog will probably begin sitting patiently as you prepare their food.
If your dog is misbehaving, try to determine why. It is important to work out why your dog is doing what it does. Knowing the reason for poor behavior can make training significantly easier. It is far more difficult to correct an action that you do not fully understand the reasoning behind.
Dogs need a well fitting collar and lead if they are to be properly trained. Don’t choose these items because they are cute or because they have rhinestones on them. Choose your dog’s collar and lead based on the service you desire from them. Ask yourself if a halter might be more appropriate for your particular dog. Do they need a long lead or would a shorter one be better? Make the right choices, and your dog will benefit.
Dogs mimic their owner’s behavior. Don’t be shocked if they decide they want to sleep in your bed and sit in your recliner. Don’t be shocked if they attempt to eat from your plate. Most of all, don’t be angry. Your dog has to be trained that this behavior is unacceptable. They need to be taught the acceptable options.
It is important to understand that training your dog will require a lot of patience and repetition. It often takes a dog between 25 and 50 repetitions before they are able to learn a new command. Getting frustrated will only delay your results and may hurt your relationship with your pet.
If you use treats for positive reinforcement when training your dog, be sure that you use them sparingly. If the dog receives a treat every time it follows one of your commands, it will learn that treats and obedience go together, not you and obedience. If you stop giving treats at that point, the dog will stop obeying.
Start with the easy stuff. You will remain motivated if you can train it successfully right away, and your dog will get used to obeying you. This gives you greater results when training.
When training your dog, take some time to think about how your dog sees the world. Learning to see the world from your dog’s perspective helps you understand your dog better so you can train more effectively. Getting in your dog’s head may seem like hocus pocus, but it really helps you train more effectively.
Encourage your dog’s cooperation in training by rewarding good behavior. Dogs respond to a calm, confident leader who earns respect. When your dog responds to commands make sure you reward him with play or food, and make sure you reward easy commands as well as harder ones to build his confidence.
When bringing a new puppy home, plan to keep him on the leash and in your sight for a few days. When you can’t be with him, have a safe place for him to go. This will help you to find your pet’s trouble spots and teach him the house rules.
When getting a new dog it is important to create a bond between the owner and the dog. One of the best ways to build this bond is by taking the dog on long walks at least two or three times a week. This activity creates a link between owner and pet and will also provide valuable training time.
Your dog should know how to “sit” like he knows the back of his paw! The “sit” command is useful for a multitude of reasons, and is a behavior that can be built upon. Use a “sit” gesture that is intuitive for his body – in other words, he should always be looking up at your hand, which will help him sit instinctively.
Your dog should learn that nothing in life is free. Have him work to get goodies, no matter how small. Have your pooch “sit” and wait before meals are placed on the floor, and release with a command. Have your dog “sit” and wait by the door before walks. He’ll learn patience, and he’ll learn to wait for your cue.
Plan training activities with your dog during a time when interruptions are minimized. Training goes much faster when both you and your pet can focus on the training activities without being distracted by other activities or disturbances. A focused 15 minute session is more effective than several sessions which are interrupted by distractions.
If your dog has a problem with play biting or excitement nipping, try giving him the cold shoulder. Mouthing dogs are only reacting to their excitement, so cutting off attention will give him the signal that this is an inappropriate way to show that he is happy. With consistency across members of the household, excitement mouthing can be a thing of the past.
If you are obedience training with your dog, consider training him to pass the Canine Good Citizen test. Even if your dog never takes the test itself, the requirements of the test are an excellent standard of desirable dog behavior. If he excels at the categories of study, you’ll know you’re in great shape.
If you do not have the knowlege to train your dog yourself it is wise to take him to obedience school. The instructor will show you how to teach your dog to obey your commands, and as a result, he will be more enjoyable to you and your family, and he will be happier.
